Student Finance and Brexit

Academic Year 2020/21:

Brexit information for existing and new students:

We understand that EU students who want to study in the UK may be concerned about the eligibility for student loan and immigration issues from 2020-21 & 21/22 AY. Therefore, we have gathered some information and answered FAQs. If you cannot find your answers here, please email us at nosheen@mrcollege.ac.uk.

Students applying for 2 year HNDs, 1-year Top-up degrees, DETs, or 4 year foundation degrees anytime during 2020-21 will be able to complete their courses regardless of course length (2,3 or 4 years).

The UK government has announced that EU, EEA and Swiss students commencing their studies in 2020-21 Academic year or before will be eligible for “Home Fee Status” and financial support for the duration of the course as long as they meet the eligibility criteria. (Source-Gov.UK)

Your rights to live in the UK will not change until 31stDecember 2020. All citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland who are living in the UK before 31st December 2020 will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). The EUSS means citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland will be able to stay and continue to access benefits and services broadly on the same terms as now. This service is free of charge. The deadline to apply for the EU settlement scheme is until 30th June 2021. Successful applicants will receive “settled” or “pre-settled” status depending on the duration they have been living in the UK. (Gov.UK)

Continue living in the UK website is created on Gov.UK for more information. There is also a step by step guide on applying the EU settlement scheme by the UK government. (Gov.UK)

More information about getting student finances could be found here: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies?step-by-step-nav=18045f76-ac04-41b7-b147-5687d8fbb64a

FAQs

  • What impact will brexit have on the tuition fee, maintenance loan and grant?

    The UK government has announced that EU, EEA and Swiss students commencing their studies in 2020-21 Academic year or before will be eligible for “Home Fee Status” and financial support for the duration of the course as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.(Gov.UK)

  • I am an EU student, currently studying at mont rose college of management & sciences, will brexit affect the remainder of my studies?

    EU students who are already receiving the student loans will be continuing to receive the student loan for the remainder of their studies;

  • I am an eu student living in the united kingdom; what do i have to do to stay in the uk after the brexit?

    If you wish to continue living in the UK, you must apply for the EU Settlement Scheme. The deadline to apply for this scheme is 30th June 2021. If your application is successful, you will be given either a “settled” or “Pre settled” status, depending on how long you have been living in the UK when you apply.

  • Will, there be a change in regulation concerning students that were approved for SF under the ‘migrant worker’ category (increase in working hours’ threshold?)

    There will be no effect on current students and students starting their courses in the 2020-21 academic year.

  • Moving abroad – will repayments be affected by the exchange rates?

    The exchange rates will not affect the repayments. SLC will apply discretion.

  • Will the expiry date for unpaid loans remain the same (30 years)?

    The loans are written off after 30 years anniversary when the loans enter

Academic Year 2021/22:

Eligibility rules are changing for EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members, who wish to commence courses in England in the academic year starting in August 2021. This will not affect students who have started their course in academic year 2020/21 (or before), as they will remain eligible for student finance for the duration of their course.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals not covered by the citizens’ rights provisions in the Withdrawal Agreements will not be eligible for home fee status, undergraduate, postgraduate and advanced learner financial support from Student Finance England for courses starting in academic year 2021/22.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals, and their family members, lawfully resident in the UK before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 who are covered by the citizens’ rights provisions, will be eligible in England for support on broadly the same basis as now, subject to meeting the usual residency requirements.

Those who have been granted settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) will generally be eligible for home fee status, tuition fee and maintenance support demonstrating three years’ residence in the UK and Islands prior to start of the course.

In practice, the Student Loans Company (SLC) will accept proof of pre-settled status from student finance applicants, together with ID documentation, as evidence that EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members are covered by the Withdrawal Agreements. EU nationals with pre-settled status, for example, will generally be able to access tuition fee support after three years’ residence in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA and Switzerland. We anticipate that providers will take the same approach when awarding home fee status where the student has three years’ residence in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA, Switzerland or the British/EU overseas territories.

This change will also apply to Further Education funding for those aged 19+, and funding for apprenticeships.

This will not apply to students from Ireland living in the UK, Islands and Ireland whose right to study and to access benefits and services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis under the Common Travel Area arrangement. (Source-Gov.UK)

Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/studying-in-the-uk-guidance-for-eu-students

What access to higher education and further education support will EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals have in the UK from 2021/22 onwards?

FAQs:

  • EEA and Swiss Nationals Living in the UK

    1. I am an EEA or Swiss national living in England and have been granted settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?
    • As an EU, other EEA or Swiss national with settled status, you will continue to have access to home fee status, a tuition fee loan and maintenance support for study in the UK, on the same basis as domestic students, subject to meeting the usual residency requirements.
    • You will need to give the Student Loans Company evidence of your status by providing your digital share code and proof of your identity. This could be an original valid passport or valid national identity card.
    • You will also need to have lived in the UK and Islands, for at least the last three years before your course starts. Student Loan Company can ask you to provide residency evidence living in UK for last 3 years from the start of the course.
    1. I am an EU national living in England, and I have been granted pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?
    • The Student Loans Company (SLC) will accept your pre-settled status as evidence that you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and are eligible for student support, subject to the usual residency rules. You must have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.
    • You will need to give the Student Loans Company evidence of your status by providing your digital share code and proof of your identity. This could be an original valid passport or valid national identity card.
    • We anticipate that providers will take the same approach when awarding home fee status where the student has three years’ residence in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA, Switzerland or the British/EU overseas territories.
    • You may also qualify for maintenance support if you are currently working in the UK. If so, you will need to provide the SLC with financial evidence to confirm you are working such as a P60 or a letter from your employer, three months bank statement and payslips.
    1. I am a non-EU national who arrived in the UK in November 2020, and my EU national spouse has been granted settled or pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?
    • As a family member of an EU national with pre-settled or settled status, you can apply to the EUSS for pre-settled status yourself. If granted, you will need to provide to the Student Loans Company evidence of that status, identity evidence for you and your family member, and evidence of your relationship with your family member. You must have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA and Switzerland for at least the last three years before your course starts
    • If your spouse is working in the UK and provides the necessary evidence to the Student Loans Company, you may additionally qualify for maintenance support.
    1. I am an EEA or Swiss citizen living and working in England, and have been granted pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?
    • The Student Loans Company (SLC) will accept your pre-settled status as evidence that you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreements and are eligible for student support, subject to the usual residency rules.
    • You will need to provide proof of your identity, and financial evidence to confirm you are working, have worked or are looking for work, for example, your P60 or a letter from your employer.
    • You will need to have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.
    1. I have appealed against a Home Office decision to turn me down for the EUSS. Am I still eligible for support from Student Finance England?
    • If you have an ongoing appeal against a Home Office decision on a valid application under EU Settlement Scheme, or where the Home Office has not reached a determination, you will be treated as having the applicable EUSS status until your application is finally decided. You will therefore still be eligible for a tuition fee loan if you provide the Student Loans Company with evidence of your application or appeal, and identity evidence. You will need to have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.
    • You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan if you have lived in the UK and Islands, for the three years immediately before the start of your course.
    • You must notify the Student Loans Company of the outcome as soon as you have a final decision from the Home Office on your status.
    1. I have submitted a late application for the EU Settlement Scheme (after 30 June 2021). Am I still eligible for support from Student Finance England?
    • You will not be eligible for home fee status or student finance from Student Finance England unless the Home Office considers you have reasonable grounds for your late application and grants your application. If they agree to grant you status under the EUSS, you may then apply to Student Finance England for support. Non-exhaustive guidance on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the EUSS deadline will be published in early 2021.
    1. I am an EU national living in Englandsince September 2020, and want to start a course in England in September 2021. What should I do?
    • Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for pre-settled status before 30 June 2021 at the latest.
    • Apply for student finance from Student Finance England from Spring 2021. You are encouraged to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme before applying for student finance.
    • The Student Loans Company (SLC) will accept your ID documentation, and your pre-settled status as evidence that you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and are eligible for student support, subject to the usual residency rules.
    • You must have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course, and you should be prepared to evidence this if required.
    • If you have been granted pre-settled status and are eligible for maintenance support by working in the UK, you will need to provide financial evidence to confirm you are working, have worked or are looking for work, for example, your P60 or a letter from your employer.
    • We anticipate that providers will take the same approach when awarding home fee status where the student has three years’ residence in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA, Switzerland or the British/EU overseas territories.
    1. I am an EU or Swiss, Icelandic, Norwegian or Liechtenstein national living in Englandand have successfully applied for settled status under the EUSS. What do I need to do?
    • Apply for student finance from Student Finance England from Spring 2021.
    • The Student Loans Company (SLC) will accept your ID documentation, and your settled status as evidence that you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and are eligible for student support, subject to the usual residency rules.
    • You must have lived in the UK and Islands for the three years immediately before the start of your course to be eligible for home fee status, tuition fee support and maintenance support.
  • Irish citizens

    9. I am an Irish citizen living in the Republic of Ireland and wish to study in Englandin academic year 2021/22. Will I qualify for student finance?

    • If you are living in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, you will continue to be eligible for home fee status and a tuition fee loan on the same basis as domestic students, subject to meeting the residency requirements. You must have lived in the Common Travel Area of the UK, Islands or Ireland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.
    • If you have lived in the UK or Islands for three years immediately before the start of your course, you may also be eligible for maintenance support.

    10. I am an Irish citizen living in the UK or the Republic of Ireland on 31 December 2020, and plan to study in England in 2021/22. What should I do?    

    • Apply for student finance from Student Finance England in Spring 2021, providing evidence that you have lived in the Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom and Islands for at least three years immediately before the start of your course.
    • If you wish to apply for maintenance support, you will need to provide evidence of living in the UK or Islands for three years immediately before the start of your course.

    11. Am I eligible for home fee status and access to student finance if I am an Irish citizen living in France on 1 January 2021?

    • If you are living outside the UK, Islands or Ireland, you will no longer be eligible for home fee status and student financial support if starting courses in academic year 2021/22 or after.

    The CTA arrangement covers UK nationals and Irish nationals living in the residency area of the UK, Islands and Ireland

  • EU Nationals Living in the Republic of Ireland

    12. Am I eligible for home fee status and access to student finance, if I am a French national living in the Republic of Ireland?

    • EU nationals living in the EEA or Switzerland are no longer eligible for home fee status or student financial support if starting courses in academic year 2021/22 or after.
  • Living in the EU

    13. My parents are EU nationals and have been granted status through the EU Settlement Scheme. I will be joining them in the UK in March 2021. What does this mean for my student support arrangements if I want to start a course in September 2021?

    • As a family member of an EU national with pre-settled or settled status, you may be eligible to apply for pre-settled status on coming to the UK. If granted, the Student Loans Company will award financial support if you provide evidence of your status, identity evidence for you and your family member, and evidence of your relationship with your family member. You must have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA and Switzerland for at least the last three years before your course starts
    • We anticipate that providers will take the same approach when awarding home fee status where the student has three years’ residence in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA, Switzerland or the British/EU overseas territories.
    • If one or both of your parents are working in the UK, you may additionally qualify for maintenance support.
    • EEA and Swiss citizens, resident in the UK by the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, can be joined in the UK at any point in the future by their existing close family members (a spouse or civil partner, durable partner, dependent parent and child, including one born or adopted after 31 December 2020) who live overseas at the end of the transition period. Provided the relationship began by 31 December 2020 and continues to exist when that family member seeks to come to the UK, that family member will be able to apply for status under the EUSS.

    14. I am an EEA/Swiss national living in the EEA or Switzerland and want to study in the UK in academic year 2021/22 or after. How much will this cost?

    • As an EEA/Swiss national who is not lawfully resident in the UK before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, and not covered by citizens’ rights provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement, you will not be eligible for home-fee status or student finance support in England from academic year 2021/22 and beyond.
    • You should check with the Higher Education Provider that you wish to study at for their course-fee, as they set their own fee rate for international students.

    15. I am an EEA/Swiss national living in the EEA or Switzerland and was not able to get to the UK before 31 December because of COVID disruption. Will I be eligible for student finance in academic year 2021/22?

    • As an EEA/Swiss national who is not lawfully resident in the UK before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, and not covered by citizens’ rights provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement, you will not be eligible for home-fee status or student finance support if starting a course in England from academic year 2021/22 and beyond.
    • You should check with the Higher Education Provider that you wish to study at for their course-fee, as they set their own fee rate for international students. International student fees are not capped by Government at the home rate.
    • EEA and Swiss students who started their courses in England in academic year 2020/21 or before, but who have returned home during the pandemic and are continuing with their course online in their home country (when they would otherwise be studying in the UK) are able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from outside the UK, so long as they are able to prove that they are still continuously resident in the UK. This means that they must not have been absent from the UK for more than six months in any 12-month period, except for a single absence of no more than 12 months for an important reason, for example due to studying outside the UK because of COVID-19. They will still be continuously resident in the UK
    • More information for those who have been unable to enter the UK before the end of the transition period can be found on the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-eu-settlement-scheme-guidance-for-applicants.

    16. I am a UK national living in the EU. If I want to commence studies in the UK in academic year 2021/22 will I be eligible for home fee status and access to finance?

    • Yes, UK nationals and their family members living in the EEA or Switzerland at the end of the transition period will generally be eligible for home fee status, tuition fee and maintenance support from Student Finance England for courses starting on or after 1 August 2021 and before1 January 2028 if they meet the following conditions:
      • they are living in the EEA or Switzerland on 31 December 2020 (or have moved back to the UK immediately after living in the EEA or Switzerland); and
      • they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the last three years; and
      • they have lived continuously in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar between 31 December 2020 and the start of the course.
  • Other EEA and Swiss Nationals

    17. I am a non-EEA national living in Iceland, and my Icelandic parent is working in the UK and has been granted pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. I plan to come to the UK in August 2021 to start a course in September. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?

    • As a dependent family member of an Icelandic national with pre-settled status working in the UK, you will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for pre-settled status. If you too are granted this status, you will need provide The Student Loans Company evidence of your pre-settled status by providing your digital share code, evidence of your relationship and proof of your identity. This could be an original valid passport or valid national identity card.
    • You will need to provide financial evidence to confirm your parent is working, has worked or is looking for work, for example, their P60 or a letter from their employer.
    • You will also need to have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.

    18. I am a non-EEA national living in the UKbefore 31 December 2020, and my Norwegian parent is working in the UK and has been granted pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?

    • As a dependent family member of a Norwegian national with pre-settled status working in the UK, you will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for pre-settled status. If you too are granted this status, you will need provide The Student Loans Company evidence of your pre-settled status by providing your digital share code and proof of your identity. This could be an original valid passport or valid national identity card.
    • You will need to provide financial evidence to confirm your parent is working, has worked or is looking for work, for example, their P60 or a letter from their employer.
    • You will also need to have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.

    19. I am anIcelandic national living in the UK, and my Icelandic parent is working in the UK and has been granted pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?

    • You will need to provide to the Student Loans Company evidence that you have been granted pre-settled or settled status of that status, identity evidence for you and your family member, and evidence of your relationship with your family member.
    • You will need to provide financial evidence to confirm your parent is working, has worked or is looking for work, for example, their P60 or a letter from their employer.
    • You will also need to have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.

    20. I live in Switzerland and am the child of a Swiss national living in the UKwho has been granted pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. What does this mean for my student support arrangements?

    • As the child of a Swiss national living in the UK who has been granted pre-settled status, you will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for pre-settled status to join them. If you too are granted this status, the Student Loans Company will award financial support if you provide evidence of your status, identity evidence for you and your family member, and evidence of your relationship with your family member. You must have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA and Switzerland for at least the last three years before your course starts.

    21. I am a Swiss, Icelandic, Norwegian or Liechtenstein national living in Englandand have settled status, what evidence will I need to submit to Student Finance England to demonstrate I am eligible for support?

    • If you have settled status in the UK, you will be eligible for home fee status, tuition fee and maintenance support on the same basis as domestic students, subject to meeting the usual residency requirements.
    • If you have settled status and are working in the UK, the Student Loans Company (SLC) will accept your settled status as evidence that you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreements and are eligible for student support, subject to the usual residency rules.
    • As an EEA or Swiss national with settled status, you will need to give evidence of your settled status by providing your digital share code and your proof of identity. This could be an original valid passport or valid national identity card.
    • You will need to have lived in the UK and Islands for the three years immediately before the start of your course.

    22. I am a Swiss, Icelandic, Norwegian or Liechtenstein national living in Englandand have pre settled status, what evidence will I need to submit to Student Finance England to demonstrate I am eligible for support?

    • Swiss, Icelandic, Norwegian and Liechtenstein nationals (and their family members) covered by the Withdrawal Agreements are eligible for home fee status and student support if they have pre-settled status and are working in the UK.
    • You will need to provide financial evidence to confirm you are working, have worked or are looking for work, for example, your P60 or a letter from your employer.
    • You will need provide evidence of your pre-settled status by providing your digital share code and proof of your identity. This could be an original valid passport or valid national identity card.
    • You will also need to have lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the start of your course.
    • If you are not working in the UK, you will not be eligible for home fee status nor student finance support, unless you are the family member of an EEA migrant or frontier worker covered by the EEA-EFTA Separation Agreement.
  • Living outside EU

    23. I am a UK national living in Gibraltar (or another British overseas territory) and want to start a course in academic year 2021/22. Will I get home fee status?

    • As a UK national resident in a British overseas territory, you will continue to be eligible in England for home fee status after three years’ residence in the overseas territories, the UK, EEA or Switzerland immediately before the start of your course.